


ACEptance

by MariCheng



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Ace!Adrien, Acephobia, Angst with a Happy Ending, Asexuality, One Shot, One sided reveal, Validation, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-25
Updated: 2016-10-25
Packaged: 2018-08-27 00:24:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8380237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MariCheng/pseuds/MariCheng
Summary: The asexual community felt like home for Adrien Agreste. A home his father never gave him. A home his father almost destroyed as soon as he found out about it.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is my contribution to the Asexual Awareness Week. Honestly, it's not much. I just wanted to write it as some kind of comfort and validation. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it! ^-^

Adrien Agreste had been careful his whole life. 

He was aware that any wrong thing he did could become a disappointment or a burden to his father, so he always did as he was told and he never complained. Adrien Agreste was a perfect son. A perfect boy.

And something perfect, by definition, didn’t have flaws. It was simple as that and the boy decided he would ignore anything that bothered him. Honestly, it was painful and lonely, but he kept doing that.

Until he got Plagg. The kwami knew Adrien better than anyone else, of course, cause he knew the whole thing that was Adrien and Chat Noir. So Adrien felt free to complain about things.

And one day, after gym, Adrien noticed something was missing. Kim started babbling about how hot the girls looked on those clothes. The other boys - even Nino! - agreed with him, although some of them disagreed the way Kim expressed himself. But it was an agreement: gym clothes made girls look hot.

Yeah, the girls in Adrien’s class were cute, all of them, but what the hell did everyone means by “hot”? Why did they change the adjective they used? Wasn't "cute" enough?

That day, Adrien told Plagg about his concern. And yes, Plagg could be lazy as fuck and really annoying, but honestly, living over five thousand years can grant you a lot of wisdom. The kwami explained what “hot” meant in that context, and didn’t laugh at the horrified expression Adrien made when he learned that you claim someone to be hot when you want to have sex with them.

After the shock, Adrien started worrying. Apparently, it was pretty common to felt that, but he never did. Not even towards Ladybug! 

Plagg noticed the path his chosen’s mind was going to and hurried in reassuring that Adrien’s crush on Ladybug wasn’t less real because the boy didn’t want to screw her or something. And it was Plagg who convinced him to talk to someone about it.

At first, Adrien considered telling Nino. But then he reminded that Nino had his head over heels for Alya and he felt everything Adrien didn’t. Even though Nino was his best friend, Adrien was afraid Nino would say something that would make him feel worse.

The only person Adrien felt he could talk to was Ladybug. She was his friend and she would be mature enough to understand the situation. Even if it would be really embarrassing to him to tell her that he didn’t felt sexual desire, because she knew he liked her and she would connect the dots. And maybe she would hate him.

She didn’t. Instead, she was the one who told him about AVEN.

Adrien looked at it and when he started noticing how similar it was to his reality, Ladybug brought more and more resources and the boy felt at home. They even had puns! Ladybug seemed amused to his excitement, and she was really caring and comprehensive when he talked about it. Moreover, she didn’t think less of him when he talked about not wanting that. But again, she probably knew about those things for a reason.

Everything that mattered is that he had a place. He was safe.

Until he wasn't.

It was one day when all his photoshoots were canceled and he had the free afternoon. He thought about calling Nino, but he decided to rest instead. He had had a patrol in the previous night and he was exhausted. So he was lazily scrolling his Tumblr dashboard, happy to see all the ace positivity that was going on on Ace Awareness Week when he heard someone clear their throat behind him.

His blood ran cold.

“F-father?” he stuttered, closing the navigator. “Is something wrong?”

His voice trembled. He didn't notice when his father approached, and by the look on the old man's face, he had seen what was on the screen before Adrien shut that down.

“What were you looking at?” Gabriel Agreste had a severe tone. Adrien knew he was screwed because his father saw that. He saw something that just denied Adrien's straightness and oh god his father was going to kill him. “Adrien, I asked you something.”

“Something about… asexuality… huh… for a friend” it was pointless. He wasn’t able to lie in his father’s face.

Gabriel frowned.

“I hope you’re not putting stupid thoughts on your mind. You’re an Agreste, and you have to act as such. I want you to be responsible and I won’t tolerate subversive behaviors.”

_Subversive behaviors._

Adrien wanted to stand up against the man in front of him. He could rant for hours about asexuality (did his father even know what did it actually mean?) and about how valid he was – he did so with Nino when he gathered enough courage -, but he restrained himself to just nod. So frustrating. How not being straight was a subversive behavior? How the hell that made him less respectable than other people?

With a pain in his chest, Adrien wondered if his mother would agree with his father. Probably not. She would support her son.

“I understand, father. I’m sorry”

“Open your browser history” the man demanded. Adrien blinked.

“Excuse me?”

“I have the right to know what my son is into on his computer, don’t I?” No!, Adrien wanted to scream, This is absolutely fucked up!

Unable to move, the boy just stood there, meanwhile his father sat on the leather chair. In a normal situation, Adrien would notice how out of place his father looked in that room, but he was too focused on panicking. Because it wasn’t right, not even to a father, to treat a kid like that. What about his privacy? He was a teenager boy and he could have anything in his browser history.

Although he thought his father would be far more pleased by finding some porn on there, instead of tons of tumblrs about asexuality. Gabriel frowned as he saw the list with all the names. Even the Ladyblog wouldn’t be enough leverage.

From the corner of his eye, Adrien noticed Plagg staring at him. The kwami looked extremely mad, but had determinate eyes that were showing Adrien a quiet support.

“Nathalie is going to control your internet access from now on” Gabriel finally decreed. And before Adrien could protest, his father cut him “and if you are so sure that you don’t feel sexual attraction, she is going to arrange a medical appointment to you to check your hormones. I don’t need a broken son.”

_Broken._

_Broken._

_Broken._

The word repeated itself in Adrien’s head even after his father left. Adrien tried to remember all the positivity he had seen, but they didn’t matter. His father thought he was broken. He worked so hard for seventeen years just to impress his father, and now it was over.

He felt the tears accumulating on his eyes.

“Kid, are you alright?” Plagg approached hesitantly. He knew Adrien wasn’t alright, but everything he could do was wait for the boy to start talking.

“I’m okay” he took a deep breath. “Hey, Plagg, can I transform? Just a bit, I promise.”

Plagg didn’t even ask for Camembert.

“Take your time, Adrien.”

“Claws out.”

  
At first, he didn’t know where he was going. He just jumped across rooftops, trying not to cry. His eyes hurt, but he tried to express his frustration in other ways. He was jumping so carelessly that Ladybug would literally yell at him if she saw it. But not even this thought was enough to stop the hero.

“I don’t need a broken son.” Were his father’s words.

And he couldn’t even go to his virtual friends to ask for comfort.

How was he supposed to act when his whole world was taken from him? After losing his mother, it took him a long time to find another home in Ladybug. And then he found the asexual community. He loved everyone in there and he was welcomed. Now it was gone. 

Suddenly, Chat Noir saw himself at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Paris was such a beautiful city, mainly at night, with all those lights and stuff. Chat liked to wonder what kind of lives people down there were living. His own life might suck, but knowing he was responsible for keeping those people safe made him feel comforted.

That night, it wasn’t enough.

“Chat?” suddenly said a voice from behind him. The hero stiffened, not wanting to face his Lady. Not at that moment. “Chat Noir, is everything alright?”

“I’m fine, why do you ask?” he answered, the words coming barely as a whisper.

He heard Ladybug stopping behind him.

“Well… first of all, you’re here with no akuma attacks nor patrol. And being Chat Noir frees you, so it could mean you needed space” Chat didn't dare to look at Ladybug as she sat beside him. How well did she know him? “you didn’t greet me with a pun and with a flirtation as always” she giggled slightly before adopting the face she usually had while fighting a particularly challenging akuma. “And you are _crying_ , Chat.”

Chat hadn’t noticed he was crying until Ladybug pointed it out to him. Tears were rolling down his cheeks, and he didn’t make any move to wipe them away. If something, he cried harder.

Ladybug just threw her arms around him and pulled him against her chest. As he sobbed, she played with his hair and gently rubbed his back. 

“It’s okay, I’m here” she murmured. “I’m with you, Chat. You’re alright. Shhh that’s okay”

“My father...” he managed to say. “He saw what I was searching on the internet... and he was an ass about it” he initially thought Ladybug hadn’t heard him, but after a few seconds, she must have realized what he was talking about, cause she held him tighter. 

“Oh, Chat, I’m so so sorry” she buried her face in his neck and he felt something warm... something like tears.

“I knew he would react that way... that’s why I never said anything. But he found out, and now he even wants to control the way I use the internet.”

Ladybug stared at him, dumbfounded.

“This is ridiculous!” what kind of father was that? She didn’t know Chat’s father but she already disgusted the man. How did he dare make her kitty cry?

Imediately she caught herself thinking about the day when the student’s parents visited the school, and Adrien was sad because Gabriel Agreste didn’t show up. It was totally fucked up. The most important boys in her life didn’t deserve to suffer that way.

She thought about her own family and felt a lump in her throat.

“I know, but there’s nothing I can do about that” Chat pushed her away and smiled. A fake smile. Ladybug wanted to cry. “But thank you for your concern, my Lady. It means a lot.”

“Chat...”

“Yes?”

“Just remember that you’re important. You are a whole person and you are valid” she emphasized as if she knew exactly what he was thinking.

Chat nodded. If he tried to thank her, he would probably end up crying.

“I should go" he wanted to stay. But he really didn't know how to act around Ladybug after that. She wasn't supposed to see him crying. He was supposed to protect her, not the opposite. He needed to be strong for her!

Ladybug stared at him as if he had lost his mind.

"Are you sure?"

_No._

"Of course, my Lady. I'm _purr_ ty sure" _I don't want to face my father._  


His partner had a funny expression, as if she was having an internal battle. Then she shrugged and her eyes met his.

"Wanna come over?"

That day had been a rollercoaster. He felt so awful - pawful, he corrected himself - by his father's words. But then he cried on Ladybug's arms and he felt like he was getting better. She was amazing. Just her scent - a mix of pastries and soap - was enough to calm him. But she wanted to offer more. She offered him her house. Her identity, by extent. He wanted to deny it, but she insisted. According to her, his safety was way more important than some insecurities she might have, whatever that means.

Ladybug squeezed his hand gently and pulled him with her. She just stated that they needed to be quiet because her parents wouldn't appreciate her having a boy in her room.

The thought sent butterflies to Chat's stomach.

He was going to Ladybug's room. Ladybug's house. He was going to know who she was, after long years.

And there they were, running towards a familiar direction.

Chat's eyes widened when he realized it.

"But there is where..." he started when they landed on the balcony. 

"Where Marinette lives?" Ladybug raised an eyebrow. "Tikki, spots off."

Chat gasped when a pink light shined around his lady, leaving Marinette and a red kwami behind.

_Marinette._

Marinette Dupain Cheng, who sat behind him in class. The best friend of the girl who ran the Ladyblog. The girl who had a crush on him (he wasn't supposed to know that).

The bravest girl he knew, besides Ladybug. An expressive girl, even though she was clumsy. An outgoing, smart and caring girl.

His Lady.

"Chaton?"

He noticed he was still staring.

"Uh-oh, it took me by surprise, sorry"

She smiled at him.

"You better come in."

Her room was exactly the way he remembered from when they played together, except because this time it was more heartwarming. It was the place he went to when he needed a home.

Ladybug - Marinette! - made him sit in her chaise and grabbed his hands.

"Chat, look at me" he did. And his mind was running wild with the thoughts of _how the hell didn't I notice it they are absolutely the same_. "I can imagine how you must be feeling right now, but it's not over. Your father may not accept it, but there are a lot of people that will do. I am here to support you. Even if you can't use your computer to vent, that's okay, I'll let you use mine. No matter what happens, you're not alone on this, remember that."

"Marinette..."

"Plus, I don't know what your father said to you, but being asexual doesn't make you less anything. You are _you_ , with all your passions, your bad puns and flirtations. You are Chat Noir, Paris hero. You are my best friend. The way you feel towards people doesn't change it at all" she was still holding his hands, and Chat looked down when he felt something pressed against his fingers. Marinette had a black ring on her middle finger. How hadn't he seen that? "You are just a cinnamon roll, no matter what."

A... cinnamon roll?

"Just know that I'll be here for you, Chat. All of me."

"Yeah, me too!" Chat glanced at the red kwami on Marinette's shoulder. "And I'm Tikki, by the way. Nice to meet you, Chat Noir"

Tikki had Marinette's eyes, Chat noticed with evident curiosity.

Before he could reply, Marinette stood up.

"Marinette, wher-"

"We are going to play Ultimate Mecha Strike III, but first... I'll bring us some cake" she winked before leaving the room.

Chat felt the smile growing on his face. It was almost a sleepover. Sounded like fun.

"Plagg, claws in"

**Author's Note:**

> And that's it! I want to remind that Gabriel Agreste acted awfully on this fanfic, but I don't think he is bad in canon. He's absent, but I think he'll surprise us. He'll do something amazing. And I don't think he's Hawkmoth.  
> I just need stories in which he's a great father lol


End file.
